Plitvice Lakes

Description

After providing a historical overview, this book highlights the current state of knowledge, gaps in our knowledge, recent findings and future prospects with regard to the biological, chemical, geological, and geographical specificities of the Plitvice lakes in Croatia. The Plitvice lakes are a unique environment and home to tufa – a type of calcium carbonate deposit that provides a substrate for living organisms. Its formation process has resulted in a vastly diverse environment of lakes, streams and riparian habitats. The Plitvice lakes have, therefore, historically been both an inspiration and a challenge for scientists, nature enthusiasts, artists, etc. Today, the lakes continue to offer an in-situ laboratory for new discoveries in all aspects of freshwater science. As in most habitats, global changes have become an important issue. Since the Plitvice lakes have remained largely untouched by direct human impacts and have a long historical tradition in research, they represent an ideal subject for assessing the effects of global changes in a temperate freshwater system. This book provides an ecological overview of the biogeochemical processes at work in a unique and virtually pristine European freshwater tufa-forming environment. Preface Contents Geomorphological and Geological Properties of Plitvice Lakes Area 1 Introduction 2 Bacis Geomorphometric Properties 3 Geological Properties 3.1 Lithostratigraphy 3.2 Hydrogeology 3.3 Tectonics and Structural Elements 4 Morphogenesis 4.1 Processes and Forms 4.2 Relief Development References Hydrology, Hydrogeology and Hydromorphology of the Plitvice Lakes Area 1 Introduction 2 Basic Climatological Characteristics of the Plitvice Lakes Area 2.1 Precipitation and Air Temperature 2.2 Evapotranspiration 3 Groundwater Storage and Circulation 3.1 The Matica River Subcatchment Area 3.2 The Plitvica Stream Subcatchment Area 3.3 Jezera (Lakes) Subcatchment Area 4 Streams 5 Lakes 6 Conclusion References Water Chemistry 1 Introduction 2 Study Area and Monitored Parameters 3 Spatial and Temporal Variations of Water Chemistry 3.1 Temperature 3.2 Dissolved Oxygen 3.3 pH 3.4 Alkalinity 3.5 Hardness 3.6 Electrical Conductivity 3.7 Nutrients 3.8 Dissolved Organic Matter 4 Conclusion References Environmental Isotope Studies at the Plitvice Lakes 1 Introduction 2 Isotopes and Their Application in Environmental Studies 3 Setting, Climate and Sampling 4 The Plitvice Lakes Environmental Cycle 5 Water Cycle at the Plitvice Lakes 5.1 Precipitation 5.2 Groundwater 5.3 Surface Waters 6 Carbon Cycle of the Plitvice Lakes 6.1 Atmospheric CO2, Terrestrial Plants and Soil 6.2 Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC) and Aquatic Vegetation 6.3 Tufa and Lake Sediments 7 Concluding Remarks References Recent Tufa Deposition 1 Introduction 2 Longitudinal Trend of Tufa Precipitation 3 The Role of Organisms in Tufa Deposition and Their Imprint on Tufa Morphology 4 The Influence of Eutrophication on Tufa Deposition 5 Organic Matter Dynamics and Tufa Deposition 5.1 Hyporheic Energy Stock and Water Flow 5.2 Functional Composition of Macroinvertebrates in Tufa Hyporheic 6 Conclusion References Energy and Matter Dynamics Through the Barrage Lakes Ecosystem 1 Introduction 2 Seston as Mediator in Diversity and Food Subsidies Distribution 3 Drift 3.1 Drift Phenomenon 3.2 Significance of Studying Particle Transport and Benthic Invertebrate Drift in Karst Hydrosystems 3.3 Drift Patterns Between Two Mesohabitat Types (Barriers and Pools) Within Plitvice Lakes Hydrosystem 4 Meiofauna 4.1 The Position of Meiofauna in the Matter Dynamics of Plitvice Lakes Ecosystem 5 Conclusions References Springs of the Plitvice Lakes 1 General Ecological Features of Karst Springs 2 Spring Morphology 3 Main Springs of the Plitvice Lakes 4 Research in Springs of the Plitvice Lakes 5 Life in the Springs of the Plitvice Lakes 5.1 Species Described from the Springs of the Plitvice Lakes 6 Springs of the Plitvice Lakes—Threats and Perspectives References Benthic Algae on Tufa Barriers 1 Introduction 2 Methods and Study Area 3 Floristic Composition 3.1 Floristic Composition of Diatoms 3.2 Floristic Composition of Non-diatoms 4 Diversity 5 Ecology and Conservation Status 5.1 Benthic Algae and Their Relation to Environmental Parameters 5.2 Benthic Algae as Indicators for Environment and Conservation Status of Diatoms 6 Conclusion References The Plitvice Lakes—An Interplay of Moss, Stonewort and Marshland Vegetation 1 Introduction 2 Marshland Vegetation and Willow Scrub (Phragmito-Magnocaricetea and Salicetea Purpureae) 3 Aquatic Vegetation (Potametea and Charetea) 4 Vegetation of Tufa Waterfalls and Barriers (Cratoneurion) References Plankton Communities 1 Study Area with Brief Description of Light Availability, Thermal Stratification and Oxygen Depth Profile of Lakes Kozjak and Prošće 2 Phytoplankton 2.1 Phytoplankton Species Taxonomical Composition 2.2 Reynolds Functional Classification of Phytoplankton 2.3 Phytoplankton and Their Relation to Environmental Parameters 3 Zooplankton 3.1 Rotifers in Zooplankton 3.2 Diversity Composition and Temporal Patterns in Rotifer Assemblages 3.3 Rotifers as Indicator of Environmental Conditions and Water Quality 3.4 Microcrustacean in Zooplankton of Plitvice Lakes 3.5 Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Plankton Microcrustaceans 3.6 Trophic Assemblages of Zooplankton References Aquatic Insects of Plitvice Lakes 1 Introduction 2 Data and Methods 3 Results 3.1 Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) 3.2 Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) 3.3 Stoneflies (Plecoptera) 3.4 Alderflies (Megaloptera) 3.5 Lacewings (Neuroptera) 3.6 Water Beetles (Coleoptera) 3.7 True Flies (Diptera) 3.8 Trichoptera 3.9 Other Ingroups (Orders) References The Fish of the Plitvice Lakes—A Wealth of Simplicity 1 The Freshwater Habitats and Fish of the Lika and Alpine Regions of Croatia—The Contrast Between Endemic Fish and Introduced Species 2 Position of the Plitvice Lakes on the Ichthyology Map of Croatia and Europe 3 Diversity of Habitats of the Plitvice Lakes System as a Basis for Development of Fish Communities 4 How Did Events in the Geological Past and in Human History Affect the Fish Community in Plitvice Lakes National Park? 5 The Ichthyofauna of the Plitvice Lakes 5.1 Trout—A Key Component of the Plitvice Lakes Aquatic Ecosystems 5.2 Loaches—Mysterious Residents of Kozjak Lake 5.3 Minnows—Fish of Unknown Origin and Survival in the Plitvice Lakes Area 5.4 Alien Fish Species in the Watercourses of Plitvice Lakes National Park—A Great Threat to the Survival of the Native Species, and Stability of the Aquatic Ecosystems 6 An Investment in the Future—How is Plitvice Lakes National Park Guiding Fish Protection in Croatia? References Caves in Plitvice Lakes 1 Introduction 2 Cave Research 3 Geology and Caves 4 Cave Types and Characteristics 4.1 Carbonate Caves 4.2 Tufa Caves 4.3 Unconsolitade Sediment Caves 5 Biospeleology and Subterranean Environments 6 History of the Show Caves 7 Potential Threats References